Dental floss tool device and method
A device to aid in flossing teeth including a jaw hook body, a pair of floss retaining projections on one end of the jaw hook body, and a grip handle at an opposite end of the jaw hook body. The grip handle may be a closed loop, an open loop, a padded structure, a pivoting structure, a decorative structure, a structure for holding the tool upright on a surface, or some combination of these features.
The application claims priority from U.S. provisional applications Ser. No. 60/576,538, filed Jun. 2, 2004, and Ser. No. 60/585,244, filed Jul. 2, 2004.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present device relates to a device and method for using dental floss.
BACKGROUND ARTFlossing between teeth is recommended for proper dental hygiene. However, the use of dental floss may be difficult for some users. This problem is enhanced for users with poor finger dexterity, users who are missing fingers, or users that have had other hand disabilities.
A number of prior devices have been created to aid in flossing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,594 discloses a dental floss holder that dispenses floss through a hole in the main body of the device. A cavity within the body of the device holds a spool, which dispenses floss to this hole. The body has a curved shape terminating in a pair of forked tines extending from the device body and spaced far enough apart to allow user to introduce a length of floss into the user's mouth and between the user's teeth. The gap has to be sufficiently wide such that the tines can fit between the front and back of a user's teeth. These tines extend sufficiently far from the device's body and are curved to allow reaching teeth at the back of the mouth without inserting the user's hand into the mouth. The floss is strung by the side of the curved tool body between the two tines and along another side of the tool body to a retaining latch. When the user flosses with this device, the user's thumb grips both the floss and the tool, thereby pressing the floss against the side of the tool and creating tension in the floss.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,651 discloses a rigid sickle-shaped tool body having a finger handle at one end of the tool body. The floss is strung between projections on the device body. The projections are adapted to allow multiple strands or loops of floss to be held between a gap on the tool. The handle of the tool is a trigger-like ring though which a user inserts an index finder. The user's thumb rests on the top of the tool, holding a dental floss puller, and the user's middle finger is positioned below the device.
These prior art devices require that a user push the tool to floss between teeth. This pushing may be awkward and cumbersome for some users. Such motion requires at least gripping the floss and device with a number of fingers.
An alternative to the gripping-type devices and method is needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present device includes a jaw hook body having a set of spaced dental floss holding projections at a first end and a grip handle at the second end of the jaw hook body. A floss retainer is positioned on the tool such that dental floss strung between the set of spaced dental floss holding projections may be secured on the floss retainer. This tool allows the user to grip the grip handle with one or more curled fingers and, using an essentially vertical motion, pull the floss between the teeth. This device may include a spool on the handle or in the body of the tool for holding a spool of dental floss. This spool retainer may have a cover protecting the dental floss from contamination. The body of the tool may also include a floss cutter located on the tool body. The grip handle may include specialized features, for example including a thumb grip or rubberized inner surface. Grooves along the body of the tool in the projections for holding the floss may aid in ensuring that the floss is retained in the tool. The method of using this tool includes applying a vertical (up and down) force above or below a user's jaw. The device may be rocked during use to facilitate the cleaning of the space between teeth. A bite surface on the tool's body may aid in applying the desired force. This pulling motion may be easier than the pushing motion required in prior devices.
With reference to
The handle 16 includes a through hole 20 through which a user can place one or more fingers. In this embodiment, a spool of dental floss 18 may be mounted on handle 16. As show in
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With reference to
In
The various designs shown by the various embodiments allow a user to apply a pulling force to floss, using only a single finger or thumb in some embodiments. Even using a single finger, a significant improvement in control of the floss aid is achieved. This tool may be especially useful to people with limited manual dexterity.
An embodiment of the handle with a spool retainer is illustrated in
In
With reference to
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Another alternative embodiment of the device is shown in
Alternative handles are shown in
Claims
1. A tool for flossing teeth, the tool comprising:
- a head having a first end and a second end;
- a pair of projections extending from the first end of the head;
- a length of floss supported between the pair of projections;
- a tool body having a first end, a second end, and a curved portion between the first end and the second end, the first end of the tool body coupled to the second end of the head; and
- a handle coupled to a second end of the tool body, the handle intersecting a plane including the floss and the first end of the head, the length of supported floss between the handle and the first end of the head, a curved portion of the tool body extending away from the plane at the first end and towards the plane at the second end to form an opening, the opening configured to receive a jaw of a user while positioning the floss above a tooth inside a mouth of the user and the handle outside the mouth below the jaw and below the tooth of the user.
2. The tool of claim 1, wherein the handle is configured to
- allow a user to apply a pulling force to the tool to insert the floss into a space between two adjacent teeth of the user, the pulling force applied from under the jaw of the user,
- the pulling force parallel to the plane.
3. The tool of claim 1, wherein the handle includes an open loop through which a user can place a finger.
4. The tool of claim 1, wherein the tool body includes a pivot configured to allow a rotation of the handle.
5. The tool of claim 1, further comprising a rubberized biting surface disposed on the tool body.
6. The tool of claim 1, wherein the head is permanently attached to the tool body.
7. A dental flossing tool comprising:
- a head having a bottom end and a top end on a first axis;
- a length of floss supported at the bottom end of the head along a second axis;
- a tool body having a first end, a second end, and a curve between the first end and the second end, the first end of the tool body coupled to the top end of the head, the curve extending away from the first axis at the first end of the tool body and toward the first axis at the second end of the tool body, the curve configured to extend outside a mouth and around a horizontal jaw of a user when the floss is above a space between two adjacent teeth inside the mouth of the user and the second end of the tool body is under the space between the two adjacent teeth under the horizontal jaw outside the mouth of the user; and
- a handle coupled to the second end of the tool body, the floss disposed between the handle and the first end of the tool body, the handle intersecting the first axis.
8. The tool of claim 7, wherein the handle includes an aperture into which a user can place a finger for pulling the tool.
9. The tool of claim 7, wherein the handle includes a hook.
10. The tool of claim 7, wherein the tool body includes a pivot configured to allow a rotation of the handle.
11. The tool of claim 7, wherein the handle is configured to allow a user to apply a pulling force to the tool for pulling the floss into a space between two adjacent teeth of the user.
12. The tool of claim 7, wherein the floss intersects the first axis.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Jun 2, 2005
Date of Patent: Dec 15, 2009
Patent Publication Number: 20050268936
Inventor: Mark L. Major (Sunnyvale, CA)
Primary Examiner: Robyn Doan
Assistant Examiner: Rachel R Steitz
Attorney: Carr & Ferrell LLP
Application Number: 11/143,504
International Classification: A61C 15/00 (20060101);